The Definition of Evil
by SapphireNight
Summary: “I only went with you so I could beg the Witch to turn me back. You made me think things that had never occurred to me. Don’t you understand? Its your fault I’m still the Tin Man.” Dorothy starts to doubt all she’s been told, and Glinda takes her to Shiz.


Disclaimer: I don't own Wicked, I don't own Wizard of Oz. Characters and situations are based on the Musical Wicked, apart from Dorothy, who is based on the performance which Judy Garland gave in that classic Wizard of Oz film. And now, please enjoy!

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Dorothy looked up at the vast emerald mansion and cringed. She was back. There. _Here_. The land of Oz. In just such a slight act of silliness, Dorothy had been transported back to the land which she so despised and admired at the same time. 

She gave her faded blue striped dress a quick brush before reaching for the brass knocker. It gave a thin, hollow sound, but Dorothy felt confident that it would be heard within the great house.

Ten minutes later she tried again. The door remained shut, the halls within silent. The house of Glinda the Good ignored her.

She gave an awkward glance around her, then grasped the large door handle and turned.

"I'm sorry," she called once inside. Her words echoed around the vast walls of the entrance chamber. "I did knock, but I don't think anyone heard me. Hello?" she added, as an afterthought.

A hidden whiney voice responded. "There aren't any servants here anymore. And I don't do doors here, I'm just a guest." The speaker finally came into view, and Dorothy couldn't help but give a little gasp.

"Tin Man!" she exclaimed with joy.

"Miss Dorothy. What are you doing here? I was under the impression that you were all too keen to leave us the last time you were in Oz." He responded politely, trying to keep his tone even.

"Please, Tin Man, its just Dorothy," The Tin Man grunted a low groan of metal. "And I really don't know how I've come back, it was a complete accident, that's why I'm here. To ask Glinda the Good for help. Oh, my, I keep on having a lot of accidents, don't I? All I did this morning was slip on those beautiful shoes-"

"Bloodied shoes." Boq muttered bitterly.

"What?"

"I can take this, not again." The Tin Man turned away, and started moving his heavy limbs forward.

"But, I don't understand? Tin Man, what's wrong?" Dorothy cried as she dashed forward to place a hand on his cold shoulder. He whipped round to face her in anger.

"I may be made out of tin, Miss Dorothy, but I wasn't always. I used to be flesh and blood. I used to be human. Not anymore. You made sure of that."

" I- I'm sorry. So terribly sorry, I didn't realise. Things in Oz, they're just so new to me. Was it the Wicked Witch of the West? It was, wasn't it? I can see it in your face. That's why you went after her." Dorothy exclaimed excitedly.

"Yes! I mean, no. I… You're doing it again, even now! You open your mouth, and everyone falls at your feet. You ruined everything! Its your fault I'm still stuck like this, this monstrosity. Yours. I'm only a Munchkinlander." He finished weakly. "_A simpleton."_ He added. "You kept on asking for advice, needing encouragement to reassure yourself. You would talk about it for hours and hours, always talking it through with us, persuading us as much as yourself that it was the right thing to do. To kill. That she was nothing more then a monstrosity. I had my own plans, I started with my own intentions, but you confused me. Made me think things that had never occurred to me. Don't you understand? I only went with you so I could beg the Witch to turn me back. I never intended on hunting her down, let alone leading the mob. She was my only chance, and you killed her."

"But she was evil. She was Wicked!" Dorothy cried. "Everyone said so. I didn't want to, I didn't! Even you know that- it was an accident. I still have nightmares about it, even now. I- She tried to kill me." Dorothy emphatically added, as if it settled the matter.

"You dropped a house on her sister!" Boq yelled.

"What in Oz name is going on here?" Announced an authoritive voice. Glinda the Good was gliding down the grand marble staircase, her eyes locked on Dorothy and the Tin Man. Though she liked Glinda, Dorothy couldn't help but shudder. She had only ever seen the Good Witch with a smile plastered over her face, and the very idea of Glinda in a rage was unheard of. The Tin Man brought up a rusty finger to scratch his head.

"Boq, I can quite understand your anger, but this is neither the time nor the place." She reprimanded, as if talking to a child.

Dorothy looked at the Tin Man with a new kind of wonderment. _Boq?_

"Good afternoon Dorothy, and once again, welcome to the Land of Oz. Now may I ask, how did you come to…" she trailed off, catching sight of the sparkling shoes. "Ah. That's how."

Dorothy was slightly perturbed by the way Glinda suddenly seemed disappointed and dissatisfied. She rushed a step forward and took one of Glinda's hands between her own.

"Oh, please tell me I did the right thing, please tell me! The Tin Man seems so confused and angry, I'm not sure what's what anymore. The witch- the Wicked Witch of the West; she was evil, wasn't she? I mean, she wouldn't have been called the Wicked Witch for no good reason, and she did scare me and Toto half to death. And those flying monkeys! Only someone truly wicked would have an army of flying monkeys, its so unnatural and cruel!" the girl begged.

A gray cast slid over Glinda's face. It took her several moments to respond. "Yes. You are right. The Wicked Witch of the West deserved to die, she was truly evil. All Oz thanks you; you did the right thing." she said mechanically, but her eyes had gone completely dead.

Dorothy was aghast. She let Glinda's hand drop weightily to her side and declared, "Glinda the Good, what is going on? I would like to know."

Glinda shook her head slowly from one side to the other. Dorothy started to get desperate.

"Okay then, I would really like to return home now. Please, I don't like this place anymore."

Once again, Glinda regarded her with mixed pity and sadness. "If you were transported here by simply slipping those shoes on, then you will not be able to get back in the same way. Somewhere, deep down, you don't want to. And its nothing that I or anyone else to change, but something you have to do yourself. You need to find what is really keeping you here, but a word of advice: it is not something which you can physically search for. This is something that your mind is yearning to discover. Those shoes cant help you now. But I can. I can take you back to Shiz to discover for yourself."


End file.
